With each passing year, the Governments made tall promises of solving power problem but without any concrete, viable and implementable policy. Government after Government failed either in providing uninterrupted power to the capital cites and the towns or in increasing revenue. No reforms worth the name have been introduced in power production and supply policy. This has given freedom to the critics of the Government to raise finger towards PDD and hurl all accusations on it. Many times in these columns we beseeched the Government to become very serious about power issue and find a lasting solution to the problems.
The present situation is that there is a huge gap between power purchase costs and electric revenues so much so that the gap stands at 6,000 crore rupees at present. It has become a matter of great concern for the Union Ministry of Power how to meet this gap and what can be done so that this situation is reversed. Taking a serious note of the situation, the Union Ministry of Power has made an important decision to reverse the six decades long power problem in the State and bring about radical reforms in the entire system. The most significant step taken by the Ministry is that of constituting a joint team of Union Power Ministry and State Government officials to suggest measures for rejuvenation of entire power system, provide 24×7 power supply to two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar, improve infrastructure and ensure adequate supply of power in remote and far off areas. Top bureaucrats and technical high ups at the centre and the state are the members of the team. They have to submit the report on all aspects of the problem within three weeks and in the month of August, the Union Minister for Power will convene another meeting to take the decisions of what plans and projects will be floated.
Actually, we had been suggesting the Government to address the issue of shortage of electricity not in piecemeal manner but handle it comprehensively addressing all aspects. It appears that the Union Ministry of Power is seized of the dimensional problem and that is the reason why it has said that transmission and distribution consumes 60 per cent of the power. Unless this is remedied, there can be no improvement. And for that the old transmission lines have to be replaced. The Centre is concerned that in the first attempt, the two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar should be provided with 24×7 power supplies. Thereafter, the plan of supplying uninterrupted power to the towns and villages including far off villages will be taken up. Perception of the Union Ministry of Power is that this issue needs to be tackled comprehensively meaning that aspects like new transmission lines to replace the old ones, improved distribution system, blocking pilferage, rationalising tariff rates, increasing electric revenue, speedy repair of faulty transformers, installation of sophisticated and more dependable meters, recovery of arrears, and all other matters have to be addressed. The team will immediately apply itself to the task assigned and submit its report within three weeks following which the Union Ministry for Power will call another meeting in August to finalise the implementation of the scheme of reformation and upgrading of power system.
It should be noted that it is for the first time that the question of streamlining power supply in the state has been taken up on such a high level in which top bureaucrats and technocrats will come together and make solid and workable suggestions. We are bogged with only one or two aspects namely installing new hydroelectric generating units or curbing pilferage while there are so many aspects that have to be taken into consideration simultaneously. The State cannot go on purchasing electricity and not raising revenue to balance it. We would suggest that the PDD should send its teams to other states and study the system they have introduced and work out a new and reformed methodology for the State. We need a permanent solution which does not lie in piecemeal remedial measures. We need sufficient electricity to induce entrepreneurs to come up with proposals for establishing new industries. We need sufficient power supply to meet the challenge of harsh winter in winter zone and to beat the heat in summer zone.
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